Driving in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland can be an intimidating task. Whenever we mentioned to someone that we were planning on renting a car in Ireland we heard an earful about the width of the roads, how strict the rental companies were with minor damage and how likely it was that we would damage our vehicle while we were there - all in all not very encouraging! Our experience though? The roads were narrow but manageable, especially if you are staying on the main roads and well marked coastal routes like the Causeway Coastal Route and Wild Atlantic Way. We didn't see any significant accidents while we were there and found other drivers to be cautious and respectful.
With that said, you still want to be prepared for all the possibilities! If you're planning on renting a car during your trip to Ireland - and it really is the best way to see Ireland, here are some tips to make it a success:
With that said, you still want to be prepared for all the possibilities! If you're planning on renting a car during your trip to Ireland - and it really is the best way to see Ireland, here are some tips to make it a success:
Want to come back to this? Pin it for later!
1. Choosing The Right Company
There are many options for renting a car. Car rental brokers can often get you a slightly better deal than booking directly with the car rental agencies themselves. Try getting a quote from a broker, and compare it to the rate with the agency directly. If the numbers match or are very close, book directly with the agency. If not, we have had positive experiences with brokers and have found them to be a great option to save money on your rental.
If you will be using your credit card insurance, make sure you use that card for the rental reservation!
2. Choosing the Right Vehicle
Get the smallest possible car that will meet your needs. Remember, there are many narrow roads - some single lane roads that are somehow meant for two way traffic - so smaller is better.
Something often overlooked if you are used to renting in North America is that manual transmission vehicles are the norm in most other parts of the world. For that reason, manual transmission vehicles will be the default vehicle chosen when you search for rental cars and the prices on manual transmission rentals will be significantly cheaper. If you require an automatic vehicle, double check that you have chosen the right option and know that you will likely be paying significantly more for your rental.
There are many options for renting a car. Car rental brokers can often get you a slightly better deal than booking directly with the car rental agencies themselves. Try getting a quote from a broker, and compare it to the rate with the agency directly. If the numbers match or are very close, book directly with the agency. If not, we have had positive experiences with brokers and have found them to be a great option to save money on your rental.
If you will be using your credit card insurance, make sure you use that card for the rental reservation!
2. Choosing the Right Vehicle
Get the smallest possible car that will meet your needs. Remember, there are many narrow roads - some single lane roads that are somehow meant for two way traffic - so smaller is better.
Something often overlooked if you are used to renting in North America is that manual transmission vehicles are the norm in most other parts of the world. For that reason, manual transmission vehicles will be the default vehicle chosen when you search for rental cars and the prices on manual transmission rentals will be significantly cheaper. If you require an automatic vehicle, double check that you have chosen the right option and know that you will likely be paying significantly more for your rental.
3. Insurance: Make Sure You're Covered
The biggest concern that people have about renting in Ireland is their insurance coverage. In most countries we have travelled to, opting out of the rental agency insurance and using the insurance provided by our credit card has never been an issue. HOWEVER, in Ireland the only credit card that rental agencies will accept in order for you to opt out of the rental agency coverage is MasterCard World Elite. If you have a World Elite card, I recommend that you contact the Credit Card company directly prior to your trip for 2 reasons. The first is so that you are aware of all of the criteria to ensure that you follow their specific guidelines to ensure that you are covered in case of an accident. The second reason, is in order to get a "Letter for Confirmation of Insurance Coverage". This will be required when you pick up your rental vehicle in order to opt out of the rental agencies insurance and can be dated no more than 10 days from the date your rental starts.
4. Leaving the "Country"
We started our trip in Belfast and ended in Dublin. While your passport didn't get stamped when you went from one country to the other, your car will get stamped with a couple of fees - one to take it out of the country and another if you're not returning it to the city you picked it up in. The fee to One-Way a car between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland can be substantial, but may be worth it in your situation. We paid approximately 160 pounds sterling in various fees to take the car out of the UK and to drop it off in the Republic of Ireland but once we priced out the train trip from Belfast to Dublin and factored in our limited time and our intended route, we decided that it was worth it to pay the drop off fee.
The biggest concern that people have about renting in Ireland is their insurance coverage. In most countries we have travelled to, opting out of the rental agency insurance and using the insurance provided by our credit card has never been an issue. HOWEVER, in Ireland the only credit card that rental agencies will accept in order for you to opt out of the rental agency coverage is MasterCard World Elite. If you have a World Elite card, I recommend that you contact the Credit Card company directly prior to your trip for 2 reasons. The first is so that you are aware of all of the criteria to ensure that you follow their specific guidelines to ensure that you are covered in case of an accident. The second reason, is in order to get a "Letter for Confirmation of Insurance Coverage". This will be required when you pick up your rental vehicle in order to opt out of the rental agencies insurance and can be dated no more than 10 days from the date your rental starts.
4. Leaving the "Country"
We started our trip in Belfast and ended in Dublin. While your passport didn't get stamped when you went from one country to the other, your car will get stamped with a couple of fees - one to take it out of the country and another if you're not returning it to the city you picked it up in. The fee to One-Way a car between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland can be substantial, but may be worth it in your situation. We paid approximately 160 pounds sterling in various fees to take the car out of the UK and to drop it off in the Republic of Ireland but once we priced out the train trip from Belfast to Dublin and factored in our limited time and our intended route, we decided that it was worth it to pay the drop off fee.
5. Car Seats
International Law allows you to use your car seat from home while travelling. We have found this the most convenient especially if you are planning on having a car for the entirety of your trip. On other trips we have rented a car seat through the rental agency but found that the quality and selection of infant and toddler seats was not up to our standards.
Now that you've got your car you're ready to go! Ireland is stunning and seeing it at our own pace, exploring the road less traveled and staying in more rural areas made us feel like we were experiencing a more authentic Ireland. Need tips on surviving a road trip with your little ones? Read our post here to get some ideas for keeping your kids busy and entertained.
6. Getting Around
We used our Vodaphone SIM card plan - which worked in both the UK and Republic of Ireland - and relied on GPS apps like Google Maps and Waze to get around. This worked well in most situations, although be aware, it may take you on some "roads less traveled" if it thinks that the route is faster.
International Law allows you to use your car seat from home while travelling. We have found this the most convenient especially if you are planning on having a car for the entirety of your trip. On other trips we have rented a car seat through the rental agency but found that the quality and selection of infant and toddler seats was not up to our standards.
Now that you've got your car you're ready to go! Ireland is stunning and seeing it at our own pace, exploring the road less traveled and staying in more rural areas made us feel like we were experiencing a more authentic Ireland. Need tips on surviving a road trip with your little ones? Read our post here to get some ideas for keeping your kids busy and entertained.
6. Getting Around
We used our Vodaphone SIM card plan - which worked in both the UK and Republic of Ireland - and relied on GPS apps like Google Maps and Waze to get around. This worked well in most situations, although be aware, it may take you on some "roads less traveled" if it thinks that the route is faster.